The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-09-08

faces OF the men on the platform. Thel,
wasn't one OF them to shake hands will
me when i left. The state central com
mittee sent for me to 60 TO Albany. The,
told me it would never do to talk tariff
II kept on IL would defeat Hancock"
|
The Intsrstate Commeros Hearing.
An interesting hearing before the inter
state railroad commission was held at Rut
land last week. The occasion brought
together good number of prominent
railroad men and lawyers. The com
plants were against the lines forming the
Central Vermont combination, the charge
being that they have eyaded the fourth
section Of The new law by charging more
for local freights than for freight to the
lake ports and the west The complain
ants we're the Boston & Albany road, a
competing line, and the Vermont state
grange A son OF Senator Hoar was coun
sci for the former and Senator Edmunds
and X Haskins for the latter.
The principal witnesses were John
Proteus. general manager Of the National
Despatch line. and Gov Smith Of the
Central Vermont. The former testified to
the fact that the National Despatch line
controls all the western bound freight
over these lines but has nothing whatever
to do with local freighis. The National
Despatch" is not corporation, has no
stockholders, has only two officers, gen.
eral manager and auditor. The general
manager was appointed by Gov, Smith
and makes the rates for freight without
consulting the roads over which it goes.
The rates have been governed by the pool
rates of the great trunk lines, always be-
ing little less than the pool rates, this
difference being allowed because it is q
longer line and takes more time, and il
they were not allowed to take less they
would get no business. The eastern bound
freight rates are fixed by the Grand Trunk
railroad and competing rates for east
bound freight have been granted to most
points in Vermont The National Des-
path line hiras the cars of the National
Car Co., Vermont corporation in which
Gov. Smith is prominent stakeholder.
A fixed rent is paid for the cars, and other
fixed charges are taken on. of the money
received for freight aud the balance is
81 al 1c xuht nl,
the freight passes according to mileage.
Gov Smith testified that the through
freight business was necessity to the Cen
trail Vermont Without it the road could
not be kept up. Very little Vermont cap
ital went into the original construction Of
the Central Vermont, probably not over
800 900 The original stock is lost
Witness said he bad no knowledge of any
Of the receivers, trustees or manager of
the Central Vermont turning over at any
time its cars to the National Car company.
The witness was not certain as to the
amount OF the capital stock Of the National
Car company now he though 81, 900, 600;
perhaps SO. 900, 600 He was stakeholder
aud received his dividends regularly.
These dividends are now one per cent
quarterly aud they have been 80 for three
years. Before that time they were as high
as ten per cent per aunum. The origina
capital WAS not all called This company
gets three.fourths Of cent per mile for
the use OF its cars, loaded or empty. On
freight bound east witness thought tie
Central Vermont got from three to seven
mills per ton per mile, according to elias
sifcstion. He said he didn't know the
Central Vermont's share Of proceeds on
freight hauled from points on the Ogdens
burg. aud from points on his road to Bos-
ton He knew only by results the dis
tinctIve profits on local and through iraf-
&c. The butter rate from st. Adams to
Boston Is fifty-fye cents per hundred, or
$40 per car. After deduciing car service
and terminal expenses, which are twenty
cents per ton at st. Adams aud 30 cents
1t Boston, the proceeds are divided
according to eacn road s mileage. Witness
reiterated his statement made on Friday,
that this road made higher profit on
Chicago butter consigned to Boston than
On Vermont butter consigned TO the same
point, owing to the large expense Of hand
ing local butter before actually getting il
III bis rails. The gross earnings Of the
Central Vermont proper for the last five
Fears bsye been from one aud half to two
,ud one 9th millions per year.
Short arguments we're made by the lead
ng attorneys and the decision will be
given in a few weeks. Senator Edmunds
claimed 10 bis argument that the evidence
nsde strong case against the companies
complained OF aud that they have been
plainly violating the Law. Even II they
AVE the Commission has power under the
az to modify its provisions 10 cases where
here is good reason for such action, so Z
here ia 20 guessing what the final decis
on may be.
Ii d. Taylor Of The dryus staff has
rought suit sgsinst the Brsttleboro Re- /
srpaer for libel, claiming damages OF q, 8
90 Taylor formerly worked for the ,
serovsaey and the srtiele Published 10 !